Corporate social responsibility in a Saudi Arabian context : social development centres as a bridge between the private sector and community needs

The concepts and practices of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are continuing to gain considerable attention from business leaders, government officials and academics. The traditional role of governments as the main body responsible for improving the living conditions of society has become less viable with the increased demands on public resources; placing more emphasis on the role of business in society and increasing the role of CSR. More recently, it has been argued that a purposeful engagement of corporations in societal affairs through an active contribution to capacity building is crucial for the progress of developing nations and CSR could be a vehicle for development through public-private partnerships. This work aims to evaluate the current understanding and practices of CSR in Saudi Arabia and explores the potential for a government-role in its implementation in support of social development. The research has been conducted using semi-structured interviews with twenty five key personnel from both the private and public sectors involved in the implementation of CSR and social development. The findings have been presented and discussed thematically focusing on the understanding and evaluation of the current practices of CSR in Saudi Arabia and on a potential future role for government in CSR implementation through public-private partnerships, where government-run Social Development Centres (SDCs) could play a key role. The research revealed that the concept of CSR was often mixed with other practices of charity and public relations. However, there was clear evidence that the situation is not as simple as suggested and that a deeper understanding of CSR is starting to emerge in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the findings suggested that partnerships between public and private sectors in support of social development work were seen as an important part of the future direction of social development work in the Kingdom. There was a very positive attitude towards government involvement in CSR implementation with a stronger strategic focus on building capacity and improving the skills of Saudi citizens. The work proposes a framework for future CSR implementation in Saudi Arabia based on tri-sector partnerships involving government, private sector and society and it is seen as a valuable opportunity for all involved parties to discuss and define their mutual goals and priorities within the context of Saudi Arabia. A role for the SDCs as a bridge between the private sector and local communities is envisaged provided substantial changes to their current role and capacity are made